Curiosity Rover’s Self-Portraits Transport You to Mars

Curiosity's first photos of Mars are already captivating scientists as well as the public. The scenery is alien and familiar at the same time -- Gale crater, where the rover landed, bears a clear resemblance to Death Valley.

But the images that can make this surreal fact -- that we managed to land 1 ton of roving scientific equipment on Mars -- seem more real are the ones that include glimpses of Curiosity.

Some of these photos are intentional self-portraits that give the rover's Earth-bound caretakers a look at how some of its instruments, equipment and moving parts held up through the eight-month journey through space and crazy landing on the planet's surface. Others are scenes of Curiosity's surroundings that happened to catch a bit of the rover, like your thumb in the corner of a vacation snapshot.

Somehow these images change a faraway mission into a real, tangible experience. Here are some of our favorite self-portraits that will make you feel like you're standing next to Curiosity, awaiting the signal to start the trek to Mt. Sharp.

Above:

Curiosity is quickly becoming a household name, and with that fame comes face recognition. But just in case there's still someone out there who isn't familiar with the world-famous space traveler, its name is clear in this image taken by the right Navcam.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This shot, taken by the left Mastcam includes Curiosity's sundial on which you can make out the inscription "To Mars to Explore."

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

These images were taken by the left Mastcam in quick succession on its third Mars day. The Morse code for "JPL" can be seen on the wheel tread.

Images: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

This photo shows a corner of the rover's nuclear power supply on the left. To the right of this battery are the rover's antennas, its connection to Earth. The low-gain antenna is pointy and the high-gain antenna is paddle-shaped. this image was taken Aug. 7.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The Morse code for "JPL" that will soon be printed in Curiosity's tracks can be clearly seen in this image of one of the wheels, taken by the left Navcam.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

This great shot is a shadow self-portrait of Curiosity with the landscape it will soon explore in the background. The shadow from the mast with its two Mastcams and the ChemCam sticks up on the right.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Two divots from Curiosity's sky crane thruster blasts can be seen in this mosaic image. Much of Curiosity's deck, from its antennas on the left to the instruments on the turret at the end of the robotic arm to the right.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The dirt on Curiosity's deck was probably kicked up by the sky crane's thrusters as it blasted away after setting down the rover.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The top of the rover's UHF antenna just sneaks into the bottom of this Mastcam landscape shot.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

Curiosity's 99-pound nuclear battery dominates this image. The battery, which powers all the rover's functions, is designed to last 14 years. Curiosity's predecessors, Spirit and Opportunity, relied on solar power.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The six-sided paddle in the upper left of this image is Curiosity's high-gain antenna. This antenna is steerable and can be pointed to send a beam directly to an antenna on Earth.

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

This image of the rover's deck is a mosaic of eight images taken by Curiosity's Navcams.